Inaugural Somali regulator plots confident course
Newly appointed Somali Petroleum Authority chairman and CEO Ibrahim Ali Hussein speaks to Petroleum Economist about his hopes for the Somali oil and gas industry
Ibrahim Ali Hussein was appointed the first chairman and CEO and of the Somali Petroleum Authority (SPA), at the end of July, at a critical point in the development of the country’s nascent hydrocarbons industry. The establishment of the SPA is the last major milestone in establishing the set of institutions necessary to create a promising industry in the frontier East African economy. The minister of petroleum led the creation of the SPA, according to the terms of the Petroleum Law passed in February this year. Its establishment happened shortly before the first licensing round was launched on 4 August and it will be a key institution for exploitation of hydrocarbons in the country. What ar
Also in this section
5 December 2025
Mistaken assumptions around an oil bull run that never happened are a warning over the talk of a supply glut
4 December 2025
Time is running out for Lukoil and Rosneft to divest international assets that will be mostly rendered useless to them when the US sanctions deadline arrives in mid-December
3 December 2025
Aramco’s pursuit of $30b in US gas partnerships marks a strategic pivot. The US gains capital and certainty; Saudi Arabia gains access, flexibility and a new export future
2 December 2025
The interplay between OPEC+, China and the US will define oil markets throughout 2026






